A5965

An Act concerning examinations for licensure in cosmetology and hairstyling and amending P.L.1984, c.205.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 6 of P.L.1984, c.205 (C.45:5B-6) is amended to read as follows:

6. The board shall:

a. Review the qualifications of applicants for licensure;

b. Devise examinations for:

(1) individuals seeking licensure as a cosmetologist-hairstylist, beautician, barber, manicurist, skin care specialist, or hair braiding specialist, which shall only include [practical and] a written [portions] portion;

(2) individuals seeking licensure as a teacher; and

(3) individuals seeking certification as a shampoo technician;

c. Administer and grade examinations or employ competent examiners to administer and grade examinations but in no case shall the board permit a person having any affiliation with a licensed school to examine or grade an applicant who has been a registered student at the school with which the examiner has an affiliation;

d. Issue and renew licenses of any cosmetologist-hairstylist, beautician, barber, manicurist, skin care specialist, teacher, shop, chair or booth rental, or school;

e. Issue student permits to registered students, which permits shall remain valid during the period that the student is registered at a licensed school or enrolled in an approved vocational training program;

f. Issue temporary permits to applicants for licensure who are awaiting scheduling for or results from an examination;

g. Issue registration cards to registered students;

h. Suspend, revoke or refuse to renew a license and exercise investigative powers pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-14 et seq.);

i. Appoint and employ an executive director and an assistant executive director subject to the approval of the Attorney General, and other employees as necessary to carry out the provisions of this act;

j. Determine the duties that the executive director and the assistant executive director shall perform;

k. File with the Attorney General a petition to remove any executive director or assistant executive director for cause, which petition shall be acted upon by the Attorney General in a manner which he deems appropriate;

l. Establish fees for initial licensure, permits, renewals and restoration of licenses as well as for duplication of lost licenses pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1974, c.46 (C.45:1-3.2);

m. Maintain records of all practicing licensees and all licensed teachers. Records shall include the latest work address of each licensee, as provided on applications for licensure and renewals thereof;

n. Maintain a record of all registered students and all persons holding student permits;

o. Maintain a record of all shops licensed by the board to offer one or more of the services encompassed within the definition of cosmetology and hairstyling;

p. Maintain a record of all schools licensed by the board to offer courses of instruction or training in the practice and theory of cosmetology and hairstyling, beauty culture, barbering, manicuring, hair braiding and skin care specialty to registered students, which courses shall be approved by the board for the awarding of credit for licensure;

q. Make available for public inspection all records required to be kept pursuant to this section;

r. Promulgate regulations governing the practice and teaching of cosmetology and hairstyling, beauty culture, barbering, manicuring, hair braiding and skin care specialty as are necessary to implement P.L.1984, c.205 (C.45:5B-1 et seq.) and to insure that cosmetology and hairstyling services and instruction in those services are being offered both in a manner which is sanitary and safe and in a manner which is not intended to deceive or mislead the general public;

s. Promulgate regulations governing the conduct of shops, including, but not limited to, mobile facilities, chair or booth rentals, and schools as are necessary to implement P.L.1984, c.205 (C.45:5B-1 et seq.), including, but not limited to, regulations that ensure that all schools offer instruction on cosmetology and hairstyling, beauty culture, barbering, manicuring, hair braiding and skin care specialty by instructors who are knowledgeable in the practice and teaching of cosmetology and hairstyling, beauty culture, barbering, manicuring, hair braiding and skin care specialty, as the case may be, and to assure that cosmetology and hairstyling services and instruction in those services are being offered both in a manner that is sanitary and safe, and in a manner not intended to deceive or mislead the general public, students of the schools, or organizations awarding financial aid to the students and to clarify or define any term used in the act and to define any activity included in hairstyling and cosmetology, beauty culture, barbering, manicuring, hair braiding and skin care specialty;

t. Review curricula offered by licensed schools in courses of instruction offered to registered students and approve those curricula which offer comprehensive training in cosmetology and hairstyling, beauty culture, barbering, manicuring, hair braiding and skin care specialty;

u. Direct the conduct of inspections and investigations of all licensed shops, including shops with chair or booth rentals, and schools;

v. Direct the conduct of inspections or investigations of any premises from which the board may have reason to believe that cosmetology and hairstyling, beauty culture, barbering, manicuring, hair braiding and skin care specialty services are being offered, or that courses of instruction are being offered to registered students;

w. Establish criteria and standards for education and experience required for licensure; and

x. Maintain a record of all individuals holding chair or booth rental licenses.

(cf: P.L.2025, c.18, s.2)

2. Section 27 of P.L.1984, c.205 (C.45:5B-27) is amended to read as follows:

27. a. All examinations conducted by the board:

(1) for individuals seeking licensure as a cosmetologist-hairstylist, beautician, barber, manicurist, skin care specialist, or hair braiding specialist pursuant to this act shall consist of [practical and] a written [portions and] portion;

(2) for individuals seeking licensure as a teacher shall be provided as determined by the board; and

(3) for individuals seeking certification as a shampoo technician shall be provided pursuant to section 6 of P.L.2025, c.18 (C.45:5B-22.4).

b. The examinations may be administered in English, and in the case of practicing licensees, in Spanish or with the aid of a translator, if the board, in its discretion, deems that aid to be warranted.

(cf: P.L.1991, c.313, s.3)

3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the ninth month next following enactment, except that the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.

STATEMENT

This bill updates examination requirements to obtain certain licenses issued by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. Current law requires, in part, passage of written and practical portions of an examination to receive a license as a cosmetologist-hairstylist; beautician; barber; manicurist; skin care specialist; and hair braiding specialist. Under this bill, the practical portion of the examination is deleted as a requirement for these licensees.